[The ammonia neutralization function of the liver in chronic active hepatitis].

In experiments on 182 white male rats hepatitis was modelled by percutaneous injection of 0.1 ml/500 g of tetrachloromethane (TCM) dissolved in olive oil. TCM was injected every other day for 65 days. After development of hepatitis (in 65 days) synthesis of glutamine and urea, partial oxygen pressure in the liver were studied. It is shown that modelling of chronic hepatitis leads to impairment of glutamine and urea synthesis, reduction of tissue blood flow and oxygen partial pressure. It is suggested that the reason of these changes is inhibition activity of glutamate dehydrogenase, arginase and short-term depression activity of phosphate-dependent glutaminase. The changes in the enzymatic activity lead to lowering tissue level of glutamine, urea, accumulation of ammonia ions. These changes persist for 14 days after the last injection of tetrachloromethane.